


We'll Face the Flames Together

by icandrawamoth



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: (kind of), Angst, Banter, Christian Leo de la Iglesia, Christianity, Coming Out, Cute, Homophobia, Hopeful Ending, Instagram, Leoji Week 2017, M/M, Nicknames, Phone Calls & Telephones, Post-Cup of China, Religion, Social Media
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-12
Updated: 2017-04-12
Packaged: 2018-10-17 22:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10604013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: When Leo and Guang Hong go public with their relationship on Leo's Instagram, some of his religious followers don't take kindly to the news.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For Leoji Week day one: "others' interpretation of Leoji / social media"

Guang Hong is practically floating on air when he gets home after the conclusion of the China Cup. He's still disappointed he won't make it to the Grand Prix Final, of course, but a bunch of the skaters had gone out together to celebrate those who will, and after awhile he and Leo had broken off and made a date of it. Their painfully long-distance relationship doesn't afford them nearly enough time together, and even if they were both smarting from their loss, even that couldn't hold their delight down.

Especially when, at the end of the night, Leo had taken Guang Hong's hand and said, eyes shining, “I think we should post something. I mean, of the two of us.”

At first Guang Hong hadn't known what he meant. Both of them had always been active on social media, and it wasn't like they'd never posted anything together. Then, all of a sudden, he got it. “You mean...like tell everyone about us?”

Leo nodded eagerly. “Yes. I mean, if it's all right with you.”

Guang Hong grinned, his heart fluttering at the hopeful look on his boyfriend's face. It wasn't like they'd especially been keeping their relationship a secret, but they'd decided early on that they wouldn't announce it to their fans right away. They wanted time just for themselves before sharing their relationship with the world. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Leo echoed, a grin on his own face.

“Yeah. What do you want to do?”

Without warning, Leo grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a kiss. Guang Hong squeaked, a blush rising to his cheeks, distantly registering the sound of the camera shutter. “Hey!” he huffed when he'd disentangled himself. “Seriously?”

Leo giggled, reaching out to smooth his boyfriend's hair. “You're so adorable.”

Guang Hong blushed and grabbed for the phone. “Let me see that.”

Leo handed it over, and Guang Hong had to admit it was a cute picture. Their lips were pressed together, both blushing slightly, Guang Hong looking surprised while Leo was clearly amused.

“Do I have your permission, then?” Leo asked, another grin tugging at his lips.

Guang Hong handed the phone back. “Permission granted,” he said mock-haughtily. “As long as you give it a good caption.”

“' _Post-Cup of China celebrations with @+guanghongji+,_ '” Leo reads, typing away. “ _#beijing #cupofchina_ # _blessed_ _#myadorableboyfriend_ ”

“You are not,” Guang Hong groaned, going pink again, but inside he was pleased.

“Yep!” Leo declared, clicking _post_. Immediately, Guang Hong's phone chimed with the tag notification.

He swiped it open, smiling down at the picture. “Well, the cat's out of the bag now.” He tapped like and looked up at his boyfriend. “Your fangirls will be so disappointed.”

“Yours too,” Leo countered with a sly grin, drawing him close again. “But you know how they are. They'll love it.”

Now, sprawled across his bed an hour later, Guang Hong opens the picture again. The likes have quickly climbed into the dozens, and comments keep rolling in. He scrolls through them, a soft smile on his face at the various congratulations and squees of how cute they are.

And then – something else.

_Leo is gay? I though he was a Christian athlete. smh_

_So much for the Christian skater I loved so much. Unfollowing._

_wtf is this a sick joke??_

A chill sweeps up Guang Hong's chest. Of course he knows about Leo's religion, how open he is about it and how important it is to him. Even if it's not something they share, it's another thing Guang Hong loves about him. He'd never imagined their picture would have this reaction from those particular followers.

He knows he shouldn't keep reading, but he does. The good comments outweigh the bad, it's true, and many of their fans are fighting back against the nay-sayers, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. All of Guang Hong's happiness from just minutes ago has vanished.

With shaking fingers, he pages over to his phone and selects his boyfriend's number. Almost immediately, Leo's voice is on the line.

“I assume you saw the comments?” he sighs.

“Yeah.” Guang Hong doesn't know what to say.

“Forget them,” Leo says fiercely. “If they don't like all of me, they don't have to stick around. And they can't hide behind religion. Christianity is about faith and belief, and I have just as much of that as any of them. And God is all about love – which we definitely have.”

“Yeah,” Guang Hong says again, softer. He does like hearing Leo talk like this, fiery with conviction, but it hurts that he has to. “Are you okay?”

Leo laughs roughly. “This sucks, I'm not gonna lie, and it just happened, so I'm sure it's going to get worse. But...nothing's going to change for us, okay? I love you, and I'm not ashamed of that, no matter what anyone says. I don't need fake fans to validate me.”

“I love you, too,” Guang Hong murmurs, “and for what it's worth, I'm sorry.”

“Thanks, but you don't have to be. I don't want you to feel bad about any of this. Honestly, I'm more angry than anything.” Leo laughs again. “Really, though, have none of these people who are flocking away from me now ever seen any of the GLBT+ rights stuff I've tweeted before? I mean, come on.”

Guang Hong smiles at that. “I guess not.”

“I-” Leo cuts himself off.

“Leo?”

“Crap. Someone else is calling. I'll be right back.”

“Okay.” Leo puts him on hold, and Guang Hong waits nervously, wondering who it could be. Something related to this mess? The timing seems too coincidental to be otherwise. He rolls over on his bed, fingers worrying the edge of his pillowcase nervously.

After what seems like an eternity, Leo returns with a heavy sigh.

“What happened?” Guang Hong asks instantly.

“One of my sponsors,” Leo mutters. “That Athletes of God group I landed a few months ago. Apparently knowing I'm gay they could deal with, but being public about an actual relationship is too much for them. They're dropping me.”

Guang Hong's mouth drops open. “Can they do that?”

“I don't know,” Leo mutters. “Even if they technically can't, why would I want them now?”

“Right. That's brave of you.”

“Brave?” Leo scoffs. “Why would I take money from people who hate such a big part of who I am?”

“I just mean it's not so easy for everyone to turn down sponsorships...” Guang Hong muses. Another chill passes over him as he wonders how this is going to affect him. China isn't as accepting of homosexuality as America, and if Leo is already going through this...

“Hey,” Leo says gently. “I'm fine. Are you gonna be okay?”

“I have to be,” Guang Hong decides. “I love you, and I'm not ashamed of who I am either. Even if I get guff too, I want to stand as an example to people.”

He can practically hear Leo's smile through the phone. “That's the spirit.”

Guang Hong only hopes he can be so brave when he's staring down his own haters. “Your sponsorship, though,” he says, shifting the attention back off himself. “Isn't that going to be tough for you?”

“I'll find something else,” Leo says without pause. “Heck, maybe I'll win at Worlds and not have to worry about it.”

Guang Hong giggles. “Those are big words, man. I'd watch your back if I were you.”

Leo laughs aloud. “Is that a threat, babe?”

“Maybe.” Guang Hong smiles, feeling better. Going forward, things are going to be harder than they thought, and maybe they should have prepared better, but it's where they are now.

“We're gonna be okay,” Leo says, as if reading his mind through the phone. “We have skating, we have each other – we don't need anything else.”

“You're right, Leo. I'm going to be as brave as you.”

“You're as brave as anyone,” Leo says sincerely. “I mean it. You're going to be a great example, Hero of China, and other people are going to want to be as brave as you.”

Guang Hong blushes. “We should probably go to sleep,” he says finally. “You have an early flight tomorrow.”

“You really don't have to come,” Leo counters.

Guang Hong rolls his eyes. “If you don't think I'm kissing you goodbye at the gate, you've got another thing coming, America. We can even Instagram it, if you like.”

Leo's laugh is like music. “I like the sound of that.”


End file.
